Hello Arama! Japan readers and welcome to this week’s installment of #1 Song Review! Last week saw Leo Ieiri beat out Masaharu Fukuyama to take the top spot for the second week in a row. Leo is back again this week, and she’s up against a newcomer. Find out what various staff members thought of the songs that topped the physical and digital charts this week and share your thoughts on them too!

Oricon #1: AKB48 – Halloween Night (Recochoku #4 / iTunes #7)

Ronald: This is like Kidz Bop does disco. Cheap disco at that. The kind that random non-disco acts did once disco was already a trend to cash in on the disco craze. I don’t mind it as much as their other songs, because it’s not as saccharine, but it still doesn’t do it for me. 3/10

Thomas: This is probably what AKB would have sounded like if they had their debut in the 80s. I like it more than their previous releases this year but I really wish they wouldn’t have recycled some elements of “Koisuru Fortune Cookie” in this. I’m not sure why they went for a Halloween theme with this song because, the lyrics aside, it sounds nothing like Halloween to me. I also think the song is a bit too stereotypical at some times. Other than that, I don’t really mind the song. 5.5/10

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Recochoku #1 / iTunes #1: Leo Ieiri – Kimi ga Kureta Natsu (Oricon #19)

Ronald: Same review as last week – Honestly, I’m just bored. This is so middle of the road. There’s nothing here that really catches my interest, and there’s nothing here to keep my interest. It’s just way too pedestrian for me to enjoy. 4/10

Thomas: Same review as last week – Leo proves that it doesn’t take much to create a good song. The lyrics, the arrangement and the melody are very simple, but it all works together pretty well. It reminded me a lot of YUI’s early songs, in a good way. No wonder people are calling her YUI’s successor. 7/10

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Ronald’s Rank:

1. Recochoku #1 / iTunes #1: Leo Ieiri – Kimi ga Kureta Natsu

2. Oricon #1: AKB48 – Halloween Night

Thomas’ Rank:

1. Recochoku #1 / iTunes #1: Leo Ieiri – Kimi ga Kureta Natsu

2. Oricon #1: AKB48 – Halloween Night

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